Reaching the halfway point of the annual United Way campaign goal is a major milestone. It shows that despite tough times due to the pandemic, the campaign is on course. And that’s all the more important in uncertain times.
Greg Perdue, vice chair of this year’s campaign, said the United Way has raised $1.41 million of its $3 million goal, “a great start, but we’ve got to keep our foot on the gas.” That’s because donations to date came mostly from pacesetters — companies and organizations that conduct workplace campaigns prior to the kickoff of the community campaign, which took place in August.
Pacesetter companies include Bank of Tennessee, Citizens Bank, Eastman, Eastman Credit Union, First Horizon Bank, Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, Kingsport Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Powell Valley National Bank and Primester Cerdia, among others.
We simply can’t do without the United Way, the largest and highest-rated fundraising effort in the nation. United Way advances the common good for our communities by creating opportunities for a better quality of life for all through a focus on helping children, youth and young adults achieve their potential, meeting basic needs and promoting financial stability, and improving people’s health and well-being.
Your investment in United Way returns the greatest results: United Way governs itself at the highest degree of accountability and transparency. All United Ways are required to have a code of ethics that ensures it remains one of the most efficient nonprofit organizations in the world. United Way strives to get the most out of every dollar contributed.
Volunteers from diverse personal and business backgrounds assess the needs in our communities, distribute the dollars the United Way raises, and monitor annually how well those programs are using your donations to solve local problems and serve human needs.
The money raised locally stays in our local communities. It isn’t sent to some United Way headquarters for some trickle-down distribution program. It is used right here, where it is gathered, to support dozens of local programs administered by dozens of local agencies.
With half the money needed already pledged, the United Way has kicked off the restaurant campaigns, starting with the Pal’s Change Drive with cans placed at all Pal’s locations in the greater Kingsport area through Oct. 11. “Your Change Makes a Change” is the slogan for the change drive, reminding donors that every coin and dollar has an impact in the greater Kingsport community.
“I’m often asked, ‘Why United Way?’ and I say, ‘It brings community resources together to best serve others in need,’ ” said Chad Austin, chair of this year’s fundraising campaign. “I know if the closest people to me are using these services, there is someone in your circle that is among the 1,400 lives that are affected every day through the agencies we serve.”
You can hear personal impact stories by visiting www.uwaykpt.org/2021campaign.
There are few among us who at some point did not have some difficulty for which they received some help. Giving back is how you repay that help by making it available to others.
If some charitable organization was there for you, donate to the United Way by giving back to them. You can designate your dollar on the donation form to that agency.
Donations can be made by going online to uwaykpt.org/give, by texting uwaykpt to 269-89, or by mailing a check to 301 Louis St., Suite 201, Kingsport, TN 37660. For more information, call 423-378-3409 or email frontdesk@uwaykpt.org.
Original article can be found here.
